Certain phosphonomethylated amino acids, e.g. glyphosate and its derivatives, are herbicides. Herbicides are useful for controlling or modifying plant growth. Glyphosate and its derivatives are effective in controlling or modifying growth in a wide variety of plant species, including broadleaves, grasses and sedge.
Because glyphosate and its derivatives are so important, new processes for making it and its derivatives faster, cheaper or in greater yields are constantly in demand. A new process for preparing glyphosate and its derivatives has now been discovered.